Emmy Shake-Ups: 'True Detective' to Compete as Drama, 'Shameless' Switches to Comedy

Even though the awards season ended earlier this month (we had hoped) with the Oscars, the 2014 Emmys are putting golden hardware back on the radar with some interesting shake-ups involving HBO's 'True Detective' and Showtime's 'Shameless.' 

First up: 'Shameless' is now going to be categorized as a comedy. Who knew that shows could easily shift back and forth between genres? Well, it can when you get the seal of approval from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which it just did. 

The move isn't entirely surprising for fans of the William H. Macy dramedy as the series is usually more of a comedy than a drama. It competed in the drama category from 2011-2013 and garnered three consecutive nominations for Joan Cusack as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, but none for its leads Macy and Emmy Rossum. The switcheroo might prove to be fruitful for both actors as Tina Fey ('30 Rock'), Laura Dern ('Enlightened') and Alec Baldwin ('30 Rock') are no longer competing for Emmy gold. 

Next up: 'True Detective.' In a surprising twist, which may or may not work in its favor, the acclaimed crime drama is vying as a drama instead of entering the less-crowded miniseries category. 

As a limited-run series, the Matthew McConaughey/Woody Harrelson two-hander could have followed in the footsteps of FX's 'American Horror Story,' but instead will compete in the crowded drama series category along with 'Mad Men,' 'House of Cards,' 'The Good Wife,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Game of Thrones'...shall I go on?

I suppose the producers of the show are hoping that voters are still riding the "alright, alright, alright" McConnaissance. Maybe it's a smart move after all. 

The 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast Monday, Aug. 25 on NBC.